Bills CB Maxwell Hairston shares honest response after signing $15,200,000 rookie deal

The Buffalo Bills selected cornerback Maxwell Hairston out of Kentucky with the 30th pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft in April. Two months later, the team has signed the star defensive back and fourth-round pick DT Deone Walker to rookie contracts.

They have now become the seventh and eighth players from the Bills' 2025 draft class that have put pen to paper on rookie contracts. T.J. Sanders, a second-round defensive tackle, is the only member of that group who has not yet signed a rookie contract with Buffalo.

Hairston expressed his gratitude on X on Friday after agreeing to a four-year, $15.2 million contract with a $7.7 million signing bonus.

"Signed my first NFL contract today, blessed is an understatement #AGTG🙏🏾💙," Hairston tweeted.

Hairston is expected to compete for a starting spot in the Bills secondary this year after tying a program record for Kentucky by returning three interceptions for touchdowns in his three years of college.

A hamstring injury prevented Hairston from practicing with his new teammates on the last day of minicamp, but general manager Brandon Beane has assured fans that the problem is minimal and won't linger.

"A little tweak," Beane told the media on Thursday. "Tweaked his hammy area. He should be fine. He's getting treatment. Should be good to go. He’ll rehab it and be ready to go for camp."

Walker, who also signed a rookie contract with the Bills on Friday, was Hairston's teammate at Kentucky. He was selected with the 109th pick in the draft's fourth round.

2025 first-rounders yet to sign rookie contracts after Maxwell Hairston's deal

Only three first-round picks from the 2025 draft class remain unsigned with their teams after Maxwell Hairston signed a rookie deal on Friday. These players are Travis Hunter of the Jacksonville Jaguars (second pick), Shemar Stewart of the Cincinnati Bengals (17th pick) and Jahdae Barron of the Denver Broncos (20th pick).

A particular clause in the rookie contract Cincy proposed has reportedly caused problems, which made Stewart leave Cincinnati's mandatory minicamp on Thursday amid the contract dispute.

The star defensive end told reporters during the week that he is not backing down. The first-round pick will likely miss all on-field action until preseason if the Bengals cannot finalize the rookie's contract before the end of training camp.